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When the World is watching us

The plague outbreak in Madagascar is continuing to spread at unprecedented rates, with 57 deaths and more than 680 cases. The latest figures are from October 12. An estimated 329 of these cases, and 25 deaths, were in the capital, Antananarivo. The cases, reported by both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Bureau for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC) in Madagascar, include probable and suspected cases as well those that have been confirmed by laboratory tests. While the

country experiences regular outbreaks, with an estimated 400 cases of plague each year, this time things are very different, experts warn. This year, health officials report the infections started much earlier than usual, and they’re occurring in new areas, including urban settings. They’ve also seen an unexpected number of cases of pneumonic plague, which transmits more easily from person to person. Of the 684 cases reported as of October 12, 474 were pneumonic plague, 156 bubonic and 1 septicemic plague. READ MORE